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Penticton RCMP search continues for man accused of brutal assault

Penticton RCMP are on the hunt for David Wesley Bobbitt who allegedly bound, confined and sexually assaulted a woman.

— image credit: RCMP

Penticton RCMP have spread their manhunt for David Wesley Bobbitt after a brutal attack on a woman found bound in his second-hand store early Sunday morning.

Bobbitt is wanted on a charge of attempted murder after a 22-year-old woman was found tied up and brutally beaten inside his store called Dave's Second Hand Store at 146 Ellis St. Her two-year-old child was also found inside unharmed. Friends of the victim said she has 60 staples on her head, black eyes and bruising down her arms from fighting off her attacker who used a sledgehammer to strike her.

"The victim's dad just gave me these (mug shots of Bobbitt) and said call your loved ones. If you are from Penticton, or the Okanagan area, call your friends, call your family, anyone you know just to make sure they are OK," said the victim's family friend Lisa Redl. "This guy is somewhere. He could be in your backyard, he could be in your car. He could be anywhere so make that phone call."

Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said RCMP are working with detachments across the country in case Bobbitt tries to leave B.C. Police believe the man will not get far as he does not have a vehicle registered to him and because of the attention media is giving to the incident.

Friends of the victim said the woman was at the store to buy a mattress for her 22-month-old son and on her way out was knocked out with a sledgehammer. When she woke up she was tied to a bed. The family had contacted RCMP on Saturday after the woman did not drop off her child before she went to work. Early Sunday morning friends and family noticed her car in the parking lot across the street from the second-hand store with the windows unrolled and doors unlocked. They then began to search the nearby buildings and kicked in the door of Dave's Second Hand Store. Police arrived soon after and entered the building, finding the woman bound and suffering from serious injuries. Her attacker had already fled.

"He said he was going to kill her and the kid," said Redl. "The baby was beside her the whole time."

The Penticton RCMP described Bobbitt as a white male, 35 years old, five-foot-seven, 180 pounds, brown eyes, balding brown hair, medium build and clean shaven. Anyone who has seen Bobbitt or knows of his current whereabouts are asked to immediately call 9-1-1, Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Investigators would also like to speak to anyone who may have frequented Dave's Second Hand Store on Saturday.

Friends of the victim are planning to set up a trust fund account as she will be unable to work for awhile due to her injuries. For more information on how to donate they ask people to visit their Facebook page 'David Wesley Bobbitt Wanted' and they will provide the information as soon as it comes available.

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